Grain drier



June 11, 1929-V G. E. CHAMBERLAIN A I 1,716.876

GRAIN DRIER Filed Feb. 17, 1926 5 Shee June l1, 1929. G. E. CHAMBERLAIN GRAIN DRIER June 11,*1929- G. E. CHAMBERLAIN l 1.716.876

GRAIN DRIER Filed Feb. 17, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE CHAMBERLAIN, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS; ELIZABETH G; CHAMBRLAIN EXECUTE/IX OF THE ESTATE OF GEORGE E. CHAMBERLAIN, DECEASED.

GRAIN 1311211312 Application filed February This inventionrelates to a. device for removing excess moisture from loose grain, such as wheat, oats, shell corn, or other granular material. The invention has for its object the provision of a grain drier which shall be of improved construction and eiicient and economical in operation.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following speciiication, and it is more particularly pointed out in the yappended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grain drier showing one embodiment of the present invcntion;

Figure 2 is a top plan view ofthe invention shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fiure 1, with parts omitted and other parts sl u'n in section.

The drier comprises a main frame having corner posts 10, side walls 11 and end Walls 12. The corner post 10 rests on skids 13 secured together by cross members 14. The upper portion 15 of the compartment surrounded by the walls 11 and 12 constitutes a hopper for receiving he grain to be dried. Below the hopper 15 is a series of partition walls 16 of screen Wire or other reticulated material of sufficiently lire mesh to prevent the passage of grain therethrough. Alternate spaces between the screens 15 divided by vertical walls 17 of solid sheet metal. Inclined plates 18 cover the alternate spaces between the screens, leaving' the uncovered spaces 19 open for receivingT grain from the hopper 15. Battles Q are arranged in the covered spaces adjacent the partition walls 17, the batlies being staggered vertically, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. Floor plates 21 are arranged in the spaces adjacent the partition walls 1T and a cover plate 22 is provided at the top of one ol" the spaces adjacent each of the partition walls 17. An air duct Q3 extends along one side of the drier and is provided with passageways 24 which communicate with the spaces between the floor plates 21 and thel lower baies 20. The arrangement described provides grain spaces 19 having air spa-ces at each sid-e, the grain spaces being separated from the adjacent air spaces by the perforated walls 16. Air entering from the passages 24 will be inter- 17, 1926. Serial No. 88,731.

cepted by the lower battles Q1 and constrained to pass through the wall of grain to the air spaces at the opposite side thereof, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. The rising air will then encounter the upper battles and again be deiected through theY wall of grain into the space above the baiies iirst encountered. This space, being closed at its top by the top plate 22, willforce the air to return through the wall of grain for the third time and enter the space Q beneath the inclined covers 18. This space is open at its ends through the side walls of the hopper v to permit the escape of the air to the atmosphere.` The air is prevented from rising directly through the wall of grain because of the large amount of grain which would have to be penetrated before the air could escape at the top. Hot air is supplied to the duct23 from a heater 26. Alternate air spaces belowk the floor plates 21 are provided With battles 27 and cold air is supplied to the spaces below the baflies from a cold air duct 28. This air escapes from the spaces above the baiiies into a return duct 29. Before escaping, however, the air is constrained by the bafiies and cover plates 21 to pass twice through the walls of grain in the grain spaces 19, as indicated by arrows in Figure 1. The grain is slowly displaced from the lower ends ofthe-spaces 19 sothat a continuously descending wall of grain is mainta ined in these spaces. As it descends, it is first dried by the air from the hot air duct It then passes downwardly and is cooled by the air from the cold air duct 28. A series of plates 30er-e disposed one beneath each of the grain spaces 19, forming a platform having openings 31 alternating with the plates 30. The plates 30 are supported on a framework 32 carried by suspension rods 33. spaced downwardly from the lower ends of the grain spaces 19 and the height of the plates 30 may be regulated by adjustable nuts 34 on the rods 33. The plates 30 are reciprocated by means of a connecting rod 35 and a rotating disc 36 to which the connecting rod is secured by a crank pin 37. The disc 36 may be provided with a plurality of sockets 38 at diderent radial distances from the center of the disc for receiving the crank -pin 37. By changing the position of the crank pin, the throw of the connecting rod may be varied to change the amount of the reciprocation of the plates 30. Any other suitable adjustment The plates 30 are.

may be provided for changing the ell'ective radius oil. the crank arm. The plates are preferably provided With `grooves for col- 'by'adjusting the height ci the platform 32.

A hopperI 4() is provided beneath the reciprocating platform 32 to receive the grain therefrom, and the sides of this hopper are inclined inwardly, as shown in Figure 3, lor directing the descending grain tov a screv.:a 'conveyer el, extending longitudinally or the hopper. The conveyor 41 discharges to a transverse screw conveyor Zl2 which transfers the grain to any suitable'position lor storage, or other disposition thereoi. I

rl`he appara-tus is driven by a suitable motor 43 connected by a belt ld to a drive sha'lit at the top of the drying` chamber. rllhe drive shaft ris provided with a sprocket Wheel 4G connected by a chain L17 With a sprocket Wheel i8 on a shaft e9. rlhe shalt 49 is connected by beveled gears with the screw conveyor 41. The shaft 51 of the screvv conveyer Ll1 is connected by a sprocket chain 52 with a shalt 53 Which is geared by beveled gears 511 to the screw conveyor 42. rlhe end of the shaft 51 is connected by Worm'gearing vdisposed in a gear casing 55 with a shaft 56. 'l1 he shaft 56 is connected by a sprocket Wheel 57 with the disc 3G which operates the connecting rod lt will be noted that the Worm gearing reduces the speed to provide a slow movement of the reciprocating :trame 32. The air is supplied to the air duct 23 from a fan 58 having' the rotary blades thereo'll mounted on a shaft 59. The shaft 59 is driven by a belt 60 extending downwardly from the drive shaft A second 'tan 61 is operated by the shaft 59 and supplies cold air to the airduct 29. Air is supplied to the ian from the'hot air furnace 26 through a duct (S2 which extends from the upper portion ot the furnace to the intake of the lian, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The return. passa-ge 29 for the air from the cooler enters the duct G2, as shouf'n at G8 in Figure 3. By this arrangen'lent. the heat absorbed from the grain by the cooling` air is conserved and used for drying` the grain in the drier. This air, being at lower temperature than the air from the furnace, also serves to temper the air from the furnace to prevent application of excessive heat to thegrain in the drier.

The air duct 29 is provided With an open* ing having an adjustable closure 6e by means et which air may be admitted from the atmosmidst/.e

pliere to further temper the air supplied by the hot air duct 23, il' desired.

The furnace comprises a cylindrical cast iron chamber G5 having openings 6G near the bottom thereot' for admitting air. Air may also be admitted to the interior et the furnace through a central tuyere 67. rl`he heated air and products` ot combustion escape from the central chamber through openings' into a chamber (59 surrounding the central chainoer (l5 and provided with a ilueor smoke stack 70. The heated air and products of combustion are drawn from the chamber 69 through the conduit 62to tl e hot air lan. Vil damper 71 is provioed in the flue 70 to control the escape of products of combustion. A pipe T2 connects the hot air conduit 23 With the tuyere 67 so that the fire Within the furnace may be supplied with a 'forced draft oi" heated air, il desired. ,fr cut-oil1 'i3 is pro iided for clos- 'ing` the conduit 72. `lt'ivill be seen that the invention provides a drying and cooling plant in `which the heated air is employed to eiiect drying et the grain Within a minimum et space and with a minimr-.m expenditure ot heat, the heated air being` passed through the'grain a. number of times to utilize the full drying' capacityor" the air and to thoroughly dry the grain. rllhe heat impartedV to the grain is conserved and the grain is properly cooled, ready for storing7 by means of the cooler from which the air is returned to the drying apparatus.

lnv starting the de iice, the first grain would pass through the drier until the spaces 19 in the cooler Were filled, if no means Vwere provided to prevent this from occurring. F or this reason. stop plates .75 are removably arranged inA the spaces 19 in registration With the floor plates 21. These stop plates retain the iii'stgrain deposition in the spaces 19 unlil it has become dried aiiter which the stop plates are removed to permit the dried grain to'en'l'er `the cooler. Y 'lhisdried grain vvill retain the new grain entering the tops of the spaces 19 until it has been subjected to the drying currents.

twill be'understood that various changes and alterations-1 may be made from the particular embodiment shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope ot the invention, as pointed out inthe air pended claims. i

l claim 1. rlfhe combined grain drier and 'co er comprising; a chamber having' upright forated viali therein providing ciompiart ments iorV the passage of grain betweenL said Walls, said eompartmentsbeing spaced from one another, solid partition Walls arranged in the spaces between said compartments to oer- divide said spaces into air chambers, a conduit for supplying' heated air to said air chambers at points above the bottom oi said chainbers, staggered' battles 1n said au' chambers ier lll) CII

directing the heated air through said perforated walls and the gra-in in said grain compartments, a heater for supplying air to sait` hot air conduit, a cold air conduit for supplying air to the lower portions of said air chambers, battles for directing the air supplied from said cold air conduit through the lower portions of said grain compartments, and a conduit for receiving air from said lower portions and directing said air into said hot air conduit.

2. A grain drier having an upright compartment, means for supplying grain to said compartment, a grain support disposed beneath the bottom of said compartmentand spaced downwardly therefrom having openings for the escape of grain below the bottom of said compartment and above the top of said support, said support having a recess in the top thereof, and means for reciprocating said support to facilitate the escape of grain from the bottom of said compartment.

3. A grain drier' comprising a chamber having upright compartments therein, means for supplying grain to the tops of said compartments, grain supports spaced downwardly from the bottoms of said compartments and having depressions therein, means for reciprocating said supports to facilitate escape of grain from the bottoms of said compartments, and means for adjusting the amplitude of reciprocation of said supports to control the speed or flow of grain through said con'ipartments.

4. A grain drier comprising a chamber having upright perforated partit-ion walls therein providing compartments, a hopper for supplying grain to the tops of said compartments, means for directing air through said partition walls and the grain in said compartments, grain supports spaced downwardly from the Vbottoms of said compartments h: :ing depressions therein, adjustable means for imjmrting reciprocation to said supports, and means for adjustingl the distance between said supports and the bottoms of said compartments. Y

5. A grain drier comprising` a chamber having upright perforated partition walls therein forming spacer grain compartments separated by air chambers, n'ieans for supplying heated air to the upper portions of said chambers, means for supplying cooling air to the lower portions of said chambers, baffles in said chambers for directing the air sup*- plied thereto through said perforated walls frame and disposed'beneath said grain compartments, said plates having recesses therein for retaining small quantities of grain, means for reciprocating said frame to facilitate the flow of grain through said compartments, said reciprocating means being adjustable to vary the amplitude of reciprocation of said frame, and means for adjusting the height of said frame to regulate the distance between said plates and the bottoms of said compartments.

6. The combination with a drier, of a furnace for supplying heated air to said drier, said furnace comprising a fuel compartment, a casing enclosing an air space surrounding said compartment, there being openings for the discharge of air and products of combustion from said fuel compartment to said air space, a fan for withdrawing air from said air space and supplying said air to said drier, and means for directing air from said fan into said fuel compartment.

7. A combined drier and cooler having upright grain compartments provided with perforated walls, a hot air conduit for supplying air to the upper portions of said grain compartments, a fan for circulating air through said conduit, a heater for supplying air to said fan, va second conduit for supplying cooling air to the lower portions of said grain compartments, a fan for circulating air through second conduit, and means for receiving the air from said second conduit after it has passed through the lower portions of said grain compartments and for directing the air received into said hot air conduit.

8. T he combination with a drier, of a heater' l GEORGE E. CHAMBERLAIN. 

